


Dark Sonic: Deception

by Skyleaf19



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Dark, F/M, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Songfic, Tragedy, old fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-12 18:12:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13552827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyleaf19/pseuds/Skyleaf19
Summary: Robotnik captures and experiments on Sonic. As a result, the hero's dark side, Dark Sonic, emerges. Tragic Oneshot. Inspired by the Youtube Video.





	Dark Sonic: Deception

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my oldest stories from fanfiction.net. I hope you enjoy it. I was inspired when watching a video on Youtube called "Deception: Dark Sonic" by SonicStorm12. The song is "What Have You Done?" by Within Temptation. I used the song from the video cause it really fit the story.
> 
> NOTE: I am aware that my representation of GUN strays from canon. In this story, Shadow never became an agent of GUN because GUN still sees him as a dangerous weapon. Basically, they have a "I won't try to kill you if you don't try to kill me." agreement. Also, GUN highly dislikes Sonic and heroes in general.

Key:

_[Female singer]_

**_[Male singer]_ **

**_[ Both]_ **

(What Have You Done?)

Sonic the Hedgehog slammed his fists into the see through container around him, glaring at the smirking, fat human on the other side of the glass.

"Let me go, Eggman!" the blue Hedgehog snarled, hitting the unbreakable glass once again.

Robotnik laughed at the captured Hero of Mobius, all too pleased about his sworn enemy's situation. "I can't believe that I finally succeeded in capturing you, rodent." he said gleefully. "It's lucky that I had a container unit ready for just this occasion, hmm?"

"Are you just going to stand there and gloat or let me out so I can kick your butt?" Sonic taunted, unworried.

Even though he couldn't spindash to break through his glass prison, he knew his friends would be coming for him. They always did, usually during or right after Eggman's persistent and repetitive gloating and monologue.

"I have great plans for you, rodent." Robotnik said, a sneer-like grin on his face.

Sonic merely rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah yeah. Whatever. "I have defeated you, hahaha! Now I will tell you my evil plan, and blah blah blah." I've heard it before, Eggman."

Robotnik's smile widened, turning sinister. "I think you'll be interested in my "evil plan" this time, rodent. You see, I've discovered that you are a conduit of Chaos energy. In other words, you take in the residue energy around you. Most of the time, the energy you absorb is positive energy. So... I began to wonder... what would happen if you took in too much  _negative_  energy?"

A metal door in one of the machines slid aside, revealing a container with seven black, fake Chaos Emeralds floating inside. All of the taunts Sonic had been thinking of responding with died on the Mobian's lips. His face paled to a sickly blue and his green eyes widened fearfully.

"Robotnik— You can't—!" he pleaded, voice rising with panic.

"I can't turn you evil?" Eggman asked with a sneer. "Why not?  _What_  is going to stop me?"

"NO!" Sonic shouted, desperate. "You don't understand—!"

Robotnik pressed a blinking button, soundproofing the container. "What  _you_  don't understand is that you are  _weak_ , Rodent. Your morals make you hesitate, and keep you from discovering your full potential. They keep you from doing what must be done. I'm just bringing out your true self, your more  _powerful_  self. I'm sure you'll thank me later, when you work for  _me_."

Sonic's hands hit the glass repeatedly, his desperate shouts not reaching the scientist's ears. Robotnik pulled a switch, the black Emeralds in the container next to Sonic leaking black energy, which filtered into the hero's container, hiding him from view.

Muffled sounds reached Eggman's ears, and he realized the Mobian was  _screaming_. Disturbed, the Doctor focused on the hum of the machine, ignoring Sonic's shouts. The muted cries of agony faded into silence as the last of the energy drained from the fake Emeralds, the machine's power dying. Nausea fading with Sonic's screams, Robotnik leaned forward, face alight, eagerly waiting for the remnants of the black energy to clear so that he could see his creation—

The glass shattered as a gloved hand smashed through, fingers wrapping around the Doctor's throat. Eggman choked, eyes widening with fear behind his dark glasses.

" **Well done, Doctor.** " A cold, deep voice said. " **You've freed me.** "

The smoke cleared away, revealing a dark blue— almost black— furred Hedgehog. To say the least, he was  _terrifying_. His blue-black headquills were risen like Super Sonic's, and his eyes were bottomless cobalt-black mixed with murderous blood-red streaks. Rings of red surrounded his irises, making a nauseating, hypnotic pattern of red and white. An aura of blue-black energy surrounded him, emitting a feeling of evil that made Eggman's legs tremble with unbridled fear. The Hedgehog, both in appearance and presence, was downright  _evil_.

An animal-like whimper of fear escaped Robotnik's lips and the Hedgehog smiled, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. His grip on the scientist's throat tightened.

"S-Sonic." Robotnik choked, face paling as sweat beaded on his brow. "P-Please, S-Sonic—"

The Hedgehog looked the human right in the eye and spoke.

" **My name is Dark.** "

With merciless, apathetic contempt, the Hedgehog broke his neck.

_Snap!_

_**[** Would you mind if I hurt you?_

_Understand that I need to._

_Wish that I had other choices._

_Than to harm the one I love._

_**What have you done now?]** _

**BOOM!**

The lab exploded, raining fiery debris down onto the world around it, destroying all inside. Dark emerged from from the devouring flames like a demon, surrounded by the aura of black energy. He surveyed the damage with an apathetic expression, before a cruel grin formed on his face.

" **Take that. Bastard.** " he spat.

The blue-black furred Mobian raced away, his departure marked by a sonic boom. In seconds he had entered the nearest city, skidding to a stop in the streets and turning in a circle, taking in the crumbled buildings around him.

_The base was near Westopolis, huh?_  he mused.

Dark watched the Mobians and humans walking by. A beggar pled for work on the side of the road. A person was mugged in the alleyway nearby. A girl was almost run over by a speeding car, but fell out of the way just in time. She started crying, but no one came to see if she was all right. Not even her mother, who was too busy smoking to care.

A sneer appearing on Dark's face.  _What a waste of space._  The Hedgehog leered, studying the crying girl without an ounce of pity.  _This city is corrupted. It is a haven for worthless scum, who wallow in their own trash and filth. Hmph. Humankind at its worst. Westopolis should be burned, these worthless rats annihilated. The government is too weak to take care of the weakness in it's world._ Dark paused, thinking, his sneer becoming a cruel smirk. _I should "help" humankind by destroying this worthless city. The people here are too_ _ **weak**_ _for my world._

Dark laughed to himself, and let loose an explosion of Chaos energy. Dark blue light enveloped the city around him.

**BOOM!**

_**[I know I'd better stop trying** _

_**You know that there's no denying** _

_**I won't show mercy on you now.** _

_**I know I should stop believing.** _

_**I know there's no retrieving.** _

_**It's over now.** _

_What have you done? **]**_

"It's a lie."

Amy glared at the GUN officer in front of her, shaking her head rapidly from side to side, expression set into a look of anger. The others— Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, and Rouge— had similar expressions of indignant disbelief on their faces.

The group was in GUN Headquarters, warily responding to the agency's request that they come. Normally, all of the Sonic Team and their allies would be fleeing the country if GUN wanted to see them, but GUN had said that they had information on the whereabouts of Sonic, who had been missing for five days. The information the untrustworthy agency had given, however...

"I know that you all are sometimes  _jealous_  when Sonic saves the world and you don't," Knuckles said heatedly from Amy's left shoulder. "But saying Sonic destroyed a city is low even for you—"

"It's true," the GUN officer snarled, a harsh tone entering his voice. "Sonic— or should I say, " _Dark_ "— decimated Westopolis!"

"Prove it." Shadow snapped, arms crossing over his chest as his red eyes narrowed with dislike.

The GUN officer hesitated for a split second before bringing out a laptop, setting it on the desk. Glancing at him suspiciously, the Mobians and Ultimate Lifeform crowded around the computer, watching as a video appeared on the screen.

The scene was a birthday party, a group of Rabbits ranging from children to elders gathered around the birthday cake.

" _Make a wish, Candy._ " the man holding the camera encouraged, the lens zooming in to the birthday girl's face.

The tiny purple Rabbit's face screwed up in thought. Her violet eyes opened, wide with worry. " _But what if I make a bad wish?_ "

" _It'll be fine sweetie._ " the lavender Rabbit that had to be Candy's mother soothed. " _There's no such thing as a bad wish._ "

The image shuddered and the party-goers gasped, some forced to catch themselves to stop from falling over. In the background, a few plates fell from their places on a shelf and shattered on the floor.

" _What the Hell?_ " an off-screen Rabbit shouted.

" _Was that an earthquake?_ " the cameraman demanded, the camera's view swinging from side to side as he turned.

" _What's that?_ " a young blue Rabbit asked, pointing to something off-screen.

The cameraman turned, the image focusing on the street.

" _Oh my Goddddddddddddddddd!_ " an off-screen Rabbit shouted.

The street was torn apart, multiple buildings on the other side of the street completely demolished. Fires spread along the road, flaming debris raining down from the sky. Humans and Mobians raced away from the city's center, screaming as they fled whatever had caused the destruction.

" _What's going on?_ " Candy's mother asked.

" _Is it Eggman?_ " Candy whimpered.

A rising feeling of foreboding made Amy's throat tighten and she swallowed dryly, hands becoming sticky from sweat.  _Please let it be Eggman. Please let it be Eggman..._

" _Who's that?_ " the blue Rabbit asked, pointing.

The camera focused on a dark shape outside in the street. Unlike everyone else, he was walking slowly, calmly. The camera zoomed in, revealing a dark blue furred Hedgehog. Despite the coloring, Amy drew in a sharp breath, able to recognize the profile and sneakers anywhere. A chill settled over the watchers, the tension in the room rising.

" _It's Sonic!_ " Candy shouted excitedly. " _Look Mommy!_ "

" _Huh._ " the cameraman said, zooming in further. " _I thought his fur was a lighter shade of blue._ "

The camera locked on the dark Hedgehog's head. The Mobian turned towards the camera, revealing red-and-black streaked, red ringed eyes. The cameraman gasped.

" _Oh my—_ "

Suddenly, the blue-black Hedgehog was gone. Screams pierced the air and Tails flinched, jerking away from the laptop. The cameraman spun to reveal Candy— dead— her mother— dead— the blue Rabbit— dead—  _everyone_ — dead.

" _Maple! Maple!_ " the cameraman shouted, the screen showing his dead wife. " _Oh_ _ **God...**_ "

The watchers could hear the cameraman's loud breaths as he spun in a circle, searching for the attacker. They could practically feel his fear, the video far worse than any horror movie. As quick as a blink, the blue-black Hedgehog appeared in front of the camera. Tails whimpered. Knuckles hissed. Amy was unable to make a sound. The figure, despite the dark fur, red-and-black streaked eyes, and cruel smile, was undeniably Sonic.

" _W-Who are you?_ " the cameraman stuttered, voice filled with fear.

" _ **I am Dark, and I accept no weakness.**_ " the monster hissed, voice harsh and demonic.

He lunged, and the screen went black.

A heavy, tense silence settled over the room as the watchers stared at the black screen. No one could move or speak, and no one made a sound. Tails was shaking violently, wide eyes staying on the screen as if it would turn back on and reveal that what they had seen was fake.

"Oh my God..." Rouge croaked, breaking the terrible silence.

Her response acted like a trigger and Tails shook his head repeatedly, head whipping from side to side in a show of denial. Again and again and again. "No. No. No. No. No. No. No..."

"I can't believe this..." Knuckles said weakly. He walked away from the group, shaking his head. "This is just a bad dream... This is a dream..." No one stopped him as he stumbled out, the door banging shut behind him.

The sounds of punching and objects being thrown reached their ears, along with anguished, repeated shouts of " _DAMN IT!_ "

Shadow glared at the black screen with a deep loathing in his eyes, hands clenched into fists.

Amy didn't know how to react, or what to think. Her eyes began to sting.

"Oh Sonic..." she whispered, hands pressed over her mouth, tears dripping down her face. Her grief was met by silence.

_**[What have you done now?** _

_I, I've been waiting for someone like you._

_But now you are slipping away._

_**What have you done now?** _

_**Why? Why does fate make us suffer?** _

_**There's a curse between us.** _

_**Between me and you.** **]** _

The Commander of GUN stood in the viewing room of GUN Headquarters, hands clasped behind his back as he studied multiple, blurred images of the mass-murdering villain known as Dark. It had been two days since the Hedgehog's emergence, and he had already destroyed three cities. Each time, he allowed himself to be caught by a camera, turning to it and saying "There is no room for weakness in my world." before vanishing.

GUN was working around the clock in an attempt to figure out where Dark would strike next. One of the many downsides of having an enemy that could travel at supersonic speeds was that he could be halfway around the world in hours. There was no pattern to his attacks. There was no connection between the cities either. Some were poor, others rich, with both Mobian and human populations.

The Commander had consulted the Mobian psychologists and discovered that Dark was killing for two reasons: to kill the "weak" and to draw out a worthy opponent. He saw everyone as beneath him, and would purge the "weak" until a strong opponent came and stopped him. Until an adversary arrived, Dark would keep killing. Basically, Dark was a villain who  _wanted_  a hero to emerge and fight him. He wanted to be challenged.

The Commander's instincts told him that he should ask Shadow to attempt to stop Dark, but pride refused to let him go through with that plan. GUN still saw Shadow as a dangerous wild card, and the Commander wouldn't let an _experiment_  save the world. That was  _GUN's_  job.  _GUN_  would save Mobius from this threat. And when they did, they would flaunt that "heroes" like Sonic were vigilantes, dangerous freaks outside of the law that were dangerous to society. The heroes would become outcasts, and GUN would be the protectors of the world.

The Commander smiled grimly, exiting the viewing room with his secretary— a Fox Mobian— at his side.

"Is Agent Rouge here yet?" the Commander questioned.

"No, Sir." the vixen replied. "She has not checked in."

"Hmph." the Commander growled. "An Agent of GUN should never be late."

The secretary pushed her glasses up her nose, keeping her voice neutral. "Everyone is late at least once in their lives, Sir."

"Agent Rouge needs to get here  _now_." the Commander said, anger leaking into his tone. "She needs to report everything she knows about Dark."

The Commander didn't like Rouge, didn't trust her, looked down on her because of her friendship— maybe more than that— with Shadow, but the GUN leader needed all of the intel on Dark that he could get. Besides, the bat was  _currently_  a good asset for the agency. When her usefulness ran out, well... she would be disposed of, like all former GUN agents. Although her close proximity to the Ultimate Lifeform could prove to be problematic.

The Commander's thoughts were interrupted as an explosion rocked the base. He barely had time to register distant screams and shouts before the monster he sought was in front of him, red-and-black streaked orbs focused completely on the Commander.

" **You are weak.** " Dark hissed, cold eyes not blinking.

The Commander kept eye contact with the Hedgehog, and spoke as calmly as he could to the secretary. "Run."

He grabbed the secretary's arm and dragged her down the hall, away from the monster with the hero's face.

Dark watched the humans fleeing— in slow motion from his point of view— and smirked. His hand rose, arm straight, and dark energy form in his palm. It burst forward like a fireball, enveloping the hall in a raging inferno, and screams filled the barren air.

_**[What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done now?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done now?]** _

Shadow was lounging in his room in Rouge's apartment above Club Rouge when the bat burst in, eyes wild with mindless terror. Shadow looked at her questioningly, keeping his concern off of his face.

"What is it?"

"GUN has been massacred!" Rouge whispered, rubbing a shaking hand over her face. "Everyone is dead! All of them! If I— If I hadn't been late to work—"

Shadow went still at the word "massacre", a flashback of Maria's death overtaking him before he violently pushed the memory away, focusing on the present. He rose from his perch and placed a hand on Rouge's shoulder, making her focus on him. Rouge was too distracted to be surprised by the contact. Shadow usually kept his distance.

The Ultimate Lifeform kept his voice strict and calm. "Rouge, calm down. Breathe." Once the bat calmed, Shadow spoke again, voice level. "Tell me what happened."

Rouge took a deep breath and told her story. "I slept in late this morning and was late for a meeting with the Commander. Then there was an accident and I got stuck in traffic. By the time I got to the GUN Base... everyone was  _dead_. The Agents, the Commander, the secretary, the doctors, even the janitor!"

Shadow was silent, slowly taking the news in. A small part of him was glad that GUN was gone. They were another enemy scratched off of his long list. But most of him was shocked. What someone had done was something even Shadow would not consider doing: the utter obliteration of a large group that

most likely had not attacked first. Shadow's mind was quick to put the pieces together. His eyes squeezed shut.

"It was Dark... wasn't it?"

She nodded. "Yeah. There's no doubt." She looked up at him, uncharacteristically afraid. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know." Shadow said, refusing to show fear or doubt..

Deep down, he knew what he  _could_  do. He knew he could fight Dark. But something held him back, kept him from seeking out the evil Hedgehog and destroying him. Could it be lingering loyalty to Sonic?

Shadow let out a harsh breath, shifting his hold so he held Rouge in his arms as she trembled.

_Faker... Sonic. You gave me a second chance when I was a monster. But this... this is different. I thought I was keeping a promise when I destroyed and killed. You were changed, mentally. You are no longer you. So what is holding me back? What is stopping me from keeping my promise to Maria, and letting_ _the people of this world be happy? What is stopping me from protecting them?_  Shadow glared at the wall, conflicting emotions warring in his mind.  _Dammit Sonic! What happened to you?_

_**[** Would you mind if I killed you?_

_Would you mind if I tried to?_

_Cause you have, turned into my worst enemy._

_You carry hate that I don't feel._

_**It's over now.** _

_What have you done? **]**_

Knuckles sat next to the Master Emerald, lost in troubled thought. He had returned to Angel Island with the condition that Amy and Tails keep him updated on what was happening in the outside world. Yes, he had returned to his post on a condition. Despite Knuckles firm belief that the Master Emerald was important, he had come to realize that friends were important too. Friends like Sonic.

The Guardian's sharp ears caught the slightest rustle from the foliage and he leapt to his feet, moving in front of the Master Emerald. Knuckles took up a fighting stance, facing the woods.

"Who's there?" Knuckles barked, on edge.

If it had been one of his friends, they would have called out to him, to make sure he didn't attack. Whoever was there was most likely  _not_  friendly.

" **Don't worry, Idiot**." a cold, demonic voice hissed. " **I'm not here for your stupid rock**."

Knuckles tensed as the infamous blue-black furred, red-and-black eyed Hedgehog emerged from the foliage, smirking. The instinct to defend the jibe against the Master Emerald died in Knuckle's throat as he looked into the Hedgehog's hypnotic, cruel eyes.

"Why are you here then?" he asked slowly, cautiously unsure. He was used to villains being after the Master Emerald. What did Dark want if not that?

Dark's smirk remained in place. " **I want you to get** _ **his**_ **attention**."

Before Knuckles could ask what he meant, Dark lunged, a dark blue Chaos Spear shooting from his palm. Knuckles gave a startled yell as he dodged, landing clumsily before he rolled to his feet. He rose his fists, tensing in preparation to attack.

"Don't make me hurt you!" the Echidna shouted.

Dark jeered at him. " **Do you honestly think you can touch me? Idiot.** "

Knuckles growled angrily at him. "That's it!"

He leapt at the Hedgehog, punching at him repeatedly. Dark's smirk remained in place as he dodged the Guardian's attacks with ease.

" **Is that all you've got? You're so** _ **slow**_ **.** "

Knuckles continued his powerful assault, not lessening his blows for a second. The ease which Dark evaded him, the calm amusement on the Hedgehog's face... they told the Guardian one thing.

_He's playing with me._

Knuckles was used to villains flaunting their ability to easily defeat him. He was used to them being sure that they would win, and that the hero they fought would fall beneath their might. He also knew how to efficiently beat such foes. Distract them. The best way to do that? Make them angry.

If only he knew how to press Dark's buttons...

An idea popped into Knuckles head and he smirked right back at Dark. "I don't see why you're so confident. I've beaten Sonic to a pulp many times. Seeing as how you are just a  _weak_  copy of him—"

Like a flaming torch vanishing into an abyss, all the amusement was wiped from Dark's face. His expression grew cold, shifting into a face that looked almost deranged.

" **I am not weak.** " the blue-black Hedgehog snarled. " **I... am... not... SONIC!** "

Before Knuckles's brain could fully register that his taunt had may have severely backfired, Dark slammed into the Echidna with the force of a speeding truck, throwing him backwards. Knuckles crashed through the Master Emerald, shattering it as they collided.

Shards of the Master Emerald pelted the ground like rain made of crystal, scattering around the Shrine. It's Guardian skidded across the floor for a few yards before coming to a slow halt. Blood formed in small pools around the broken Echidna, and he did not rise.

_**[What have you done now?** _

_I, I've been waiting for someone like you._

_But now you are slipping away._

_**What have you done now?** _

_**Why? Why does fate make us suffer?** _

_**There's a curse between us.** _

_**Between me and you.** **]** _

Amy sat in her room, gazing at the shell necklace she held in her hands. The beautiful piece of jewelry lay lightly on her fingers, the smooth shells the same color as pearls. The necklace was simple, a gift she had made herself. But it was so much more than just a pretty piece. The necklace was a gift for Sonic. One he may never receive.

Amy rubbed the shells repeatedly, almost therapeutically. For a moment she wished they were like a magic lamp, and a genie would appear, granting her her greatest wish. She wished Sonic was back.

Amy sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Chin up, Ames." she mumbled, repeating her mother's favorite phrase.

Her mother's phrase, which she had uttered day after day whenever Sonic had rejected her all those years ago. Each day, from when she was twelve up until last year, she had pounced on Sonic, he had run from her, and she would go home, dejected. She would give herself a pep talk, get her confidence back, and try again the next day. It had been a repetitive cycle, one that had lasted for years.

Then, one day, the routine changed. Amy had not pounced on Sonic. And he... didn't run. Sonic had stayed, studied her, and smiled, giving her his signature thumbs up.

" _You finally matured, Ames._ " He had said with a grin. " _Do you want to walk with me through the park?_ "

Amy remembered the way her heart had filled with joy as she accepted his offer, and she and Sonic had finally,  _finally_  started a relationship. A real relationship, of boyfriend and girlfriend, not stalker-fangirl and terrified hero. Amy had actually begun to think that her dream of marrying Sonic might actually become reality.

But now... Sonic was  _killing_  people. Sonic was  _evil_. Sonic was a  _villain_. The Sonic she loved was  _gone_.

_No._ Amy thought. _That is not Sonic. His name is Dark. He is **Dark** , not Sonic. He just has Sonic's face. He's a murderer. A villain. A monster._

_I... I have to stop him._

The thought was sudden, but as it formed in Amy's mind, it's hold on her grew. It was a thought she never would have had a few years ago, one that her twelve year old self would have deleted completely from her mind. He twelve year old self would have clung to the hope that Sonic was trapped somewhere within Dark. But the present Amy was more traveled, more knowledgeable, more mature. She was no longer a little girl. She could see the truth. In the news, in Dark's eyes, in her heart. Sonic was gone. Amy's gloved fists clenched tightly around the shell necklace in her hands as she took her first step towards being a hero.

_I have to stop Dark._   _Sonic would want me to._

Behind her, the door slammed open, and Tails rushed in, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Amy!" the two-tailed kitsune cried."It's Knuckles! He's—"

_**[What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done now?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done?** _

_**What have you done now?]** _

"He's going to be all right," a nurse reassured the young kitsune who stood beside her. "He's just sleeping now. His life is no longer in danger."

Tails glanced behind him at the peacefully sleeping Knuckles. Amy had run out of the room the moment she'd spotted the Echidna's condition, a distraught expression on her face. Tails couldn't blame her for being unable to face what Dark had done. Knuckled was covered with bandages and casts, not a spot of his red fur visible through the covering of white. Many of his bones had been shattered, brutally, from being thrown into something hard. Rouge— who had found the Echidna— had told Tails about the shards of Master Emerald that had been scattered across the shrine, covered in blood.

It was pretty obvious what Knuckles had been slammed into.

Tails stayed with the Echidna until closing hours, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. The Echidna was sleeping peacefully, cut off from his pain by drugs and sedatives. After many hours of watching Knuckles breath, the nurse kindly asked Tails to leave.

With a great sigh that should not have been uttered by one so young, Tails walked out of the hospital, slowly making his way back to the Mystic Ruins and his workshop. His workshop, where no one was waiting for him at home. The workshop had not really been home for the past few days. Just an empty shell, devoid of comfort and love.

Tails may have been a genius, may have been a mechanic, may have been a hero, but deep down, he was a child. A child whose only family was his older brother. An older brother who was practically dead.

Tails allowed himself to cry as he walked through the dark streets, not bothering to fly. He had not flown since Sonic had... Sonic had...

_Died._  Tails thought.  _Sonic died when Dark was born. He isn't Sonic._  The kitsune sniffled.  _I want Sonic. I want my hero! I want my big brother! Why did he die? Why why WHY?!_

Tails halted as a sudden wind slapped him in the face. For a moment, his eyes grew hopeful as he recalled the familiar gust from whenever his brother came home from his runs. Tail's logical mind took over, squashing the hopeful child.

_Sonic is dead._

Tails felt a chill as he glanced around himself nervously, watching the shadows with a terrified expression on his face.

_Please let it be Shadow. Please let it be Shadow. Please—_

Tails gasped and backed up a step as a figure emerged from the darkness, twirling a blue-black Chaos Dagger in one hand.

" **Hello, Miles.** " Dark said mock-cheerfully, a sinister undertone in his voice. "What are you doing out here so late at night?"

"I-I was just out r-running some errands." Tails stuttered.

Dark snorted, sharp teeth glinting in the streetlight. " **I know the Echidna survived,** _ **Miles**_ **.** " His tone was almost chastising, as if Tails was being naughty for lying to him.

"O-oh." Tails squeaked, slowly backing away from the dark Hedgehog. "G-Good. I h-have to go h-home now. Bye Sonic."

That was the wrong thing to say. Rage blazed to life in Dark's eyes and he growled like a feral.

" **I'm** _ **not**_ **Sonic.** " he whispered, in a far too calm voice, causing Tails to freeze. " **Sonic was** _ **weak**_ **. Sonic was a** _ **pawn**_ **. I am not him.**   **He... is... DEAD!** "

Cruel eyes lost to rage, Dark lunged forward, Chaos Dagger stabbing through the young fox's chest. Tails stared at the evil Hedgehog before him with blank disbelief, barely registering the pain in his chest. His blue eyes retained their hurt, grief-stricken look even as the lights in them went out.

_**[** What have you done? (What have you done? What have you done?) **]**_

"What have you done?" Shadow said to no one, speaking to the sun as it set beyond the horizon.

It had been two weeks since Tail's death. The kitsune's funeral had been yesterday, everyone from Cream to the Chaotix to Big arriving to say their farewells. The image of Cream sobbing in front of the closed casket refused to banish itself from Shadow's mind. The young Rabbit had refused to be consoled, bawling nonstop until she had no tears left to shed. She was so young, too young to be burying one of her friends. Her grief had almost brought even him to tears.

Despite the feeling of loss he could not deny, Shadow had not cried... at the funeral. But in the lonely world of his bedroom, he had remembered Tails's childish innocence and joy, so much like Maria's... and the floodgates had burst open. If Rouge had heard or noticed his grief, she did not mention it.

Now, Shadow stood in a wide open field, staring at the sun as it turned from orange to pinkish-red, day falling into night. Here, away from civilization, Shadow could think. And as he thought, a single, painful, nagging sentence kept making itself known.

_Sonic would never have hurt Tails. Ever._

It was one of the facts of the Universe, a permanent law that could not be broken. Yet it had been broken, in a way. Dark had killed Tails. More specifically, Dark had used Sonic's body to commit the crime. That, more than anything else that had happened, was proof, and Shadow came to the same realization that Amy had weeks before.

_Sonic's gone. Only Dark remains._

Shadow gave a soft, mirthless laugh. "It's true. Sonic is dead. My ally, my savior, my  _friend_ , is gone." Shadow took a deep breath, and made a vow before the setting sun. "I'll avenge you, Sonic. You and Tails. Even if I cannot stop Dark, even if I die in the battle, I  _will_ weaken him enough so someone else can take him out. Dark will be stopped, I promise you."

Shadow heard footsteps behind him but did not turn to look at the person who came up beside him.

"Shadow." Rouge said, stopping just behind him.

She did not say another word, as they watched the sun continue it's slow descent. The world around them grew darker, yet the sun continued to fight the approaching night, shedding small streams of light upon the earth.

"You're going after him, aren't you?" Rouge said at last.

Rouge was a smart, perceptive woman. She could always tell his moods and read his thoughts, despite how much he tried to hide them. Shadow's silence answered her question.

Rouge drew in a shaky breath."Shadow... please." she whispered, the usual sultriness completely absent from her voice. She was scared, terrified for the ebony Hedgehog in front of her. "He'll  _kill_  you."

"That may be true, but I still have to try to stop him," Shadow said quietly, without turning around. "I'm the only one who stands a chance against him now."

No more words were spoken. Rouge did not plead with him. She knew he had made his decision.

She did not watch him leave, instead facing the sunset. She couldn't bring herself to face Shadow— look at him for what could be the last time she ever saw him— as he walked away. Behind him, the sun gave up in it's battle against the dark, and the twilight became the darkest of nights.

_**[** What have you done? (What have you done? What have you done?) **]**_

Shadow moved slowly through the silent forest, senses on high alert. He had been scouring the globe for two days, searching for the elusive Dark. Since the murderer had killed Tails, he had not been seen. No cities had been attacked, no people had been killed, no threats had been made. Shadow knew the evil Mobian was waiting somewhere for... something. But what?

The forest was dark, far from civilization where there was no light to be given other than that of the sun. The sun was currently hidden behind dark storm clouds, making the daytime seem much closer to night. The tiniest sound of movement— something stepping on fallen leaves— reached Shadow's sensitive ears and he looked up, red eyes narrowing.

"I know you are there. Show yourself!" he commanded in a low, threatening voice.

The one he had been hunting emerged from the shadows, his signature smirk planted on his face.

" **Well well,** " Dark said with a condescending sneer. His arms rose with mock euphoria, as if he were introducing a celebrity to a cheering crowd. " **Look who it is! The oh so powerful Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Lifeform! I** _ **knew**_ **they'd send you to stop me eventually. I've been waiting for you to show up.** "

Shadow shifted into a fighting stance, eyes never leaving the evil Hedgehog. "I won't let you kill anyone else, Dark."

Dark bared his teeth, revealing sharp canines. " **I've been looking forward to this fight!** "

Yellow energy formed in Shadow's palm. Dark smirked and leapt from his spot, landing five yards away from Shadow. A blue-black aura of energy surrounded him, a sickly, suffocating feeling penetrating the air. Shadow shivered once, the evil energy making him feel ill, and shot a fully charged Chaos Spear at Dark. Lazily, the evil blue-black Hedgehog leaned backwards, casually avoiding the deadly blast. The smirk remained on his face.

" **Come and get me,** _ **Project**_ **.** "

That was all the confirmation that Shadow needed to know that Sonic was gone. Sonic would have called him "Shads" or "Faker", with the intent to annoy Shadow. Being called "Project"— the name that the scientists had mocked him with, the name which told him he was a  _thing_ , an experiment, not a living being— was a line Sonic would never cross.

Shadow sprang, energy-enveloped fist slamming into Dark's stomach. The smirk vanished as Dark grunted. He grabbed Shadow's arm, flipping him, before throwing the ebony Hedgehog into the ground. Shadow pulled himself out of the crater he left in the earth, spindashing at Dark. The evil Mobian shifted to the side, intending to strike Shadow as he passed, but the Ultimate Lifeform uncurled as he reached his enemy, his downward kick sending Dark crashing to the ground. Dark's aura flared angrily as he stood, unharmed by the impact.

It began to rain, the battleground becoming muddy and slippery as the two Chaos Users circled each other. Energy gathered around their hands as they circled, waiting. Dark struck first, blurring as he dove in to attack. Shadow became a twin blur of red and black as he dodged Dark's Chaos Energy-enhanced attacks. The punches were not as destructive as other Chaos techniques, but would still cause a lot of damage if they connected. The two Mobians continued their violent dance, Dark attacking, Shadow evading, both searching for an opening.

Switching tactics, Shadow dodged another strike and gave one of his own. His fist connected with Dark's jaw, sending the blue-black Hedgehog flying. Dark grunted as he bounced across the wet ground, sliding to a halt. He stood, shaking off the pain, rain, and mud.

" **Your skills are impressive,** "Dark acknowledged. " **I expected nothing less from someone as powerful as you. You would be a useful ally.** "

Shadow snorted. "Is this the part where you ask me to join the Dark Side? Cut the crap. What do you want me here for, Dark?"

Dark shrugged carelessly. " **I drew you here to fight you. To test my skills.** " Dark said, almost thoughtful. He grinned. " **This fight has been quite exciting. I have a** _ **strong**_ **opponent for once! Unlike those** _ **weaklings**_ **I've defeated.** "

"I'm strong because I can actually fight back, huh?" Shadow snarled. "What about those people you murdered?!"

Dark sneered, baring his teeth. " **They were all** _ **weak**_ **. Too weak to fight, too weak to survive, too weak to** _ **deserve**_ **to live.** "

"Why?" Shadow asked softly, trying to understand.

" **Because of weakness, "villains" can run amok.** " Dark said, as if he were not a villain. " **Weakness— what heroes call mercy, morals, and limitations— prevents many from doing what needs to be done. How many times did Robotnik escape Sonic because the** _ **hero**_ **—** " he spat the word with contempt. " _ **—**_ **refused to kill him? Sonic was too weak to do what needed to be done. I have no** **such limitations.** " Dark's head tipped as he studied Shadow through narrowed eyes. " **I know that you agree with me, Shadow. You aren't a hero, you're what they call an "anti-hero". Take this whole encounter for example. You have no qualms about killing the body of your former comrade. You do what must be done, kill those who get in your way, and complete missions without getting** **sidetracked by "morals". But unlike you, I am not following someone's orders. My mission is my own.** "

Shadow did not correct his enemy's belief that the Ultimate Lifeform had been ordered to find Dark. "And what is your mission?" he asked instead, fists clenched at his sides.

Dark smiled. " **My mission is to eradicate the weakness in this world, leaving the strong to survive. Those not hindered by morals, not deceived by corruption, not reliant on petty heroes to save them... they are the strength of this world. They will prove themselves worthy by surviving** _ **me**_ **.** "

Shadow let out a breath, planting a smirk on his face. "Sonic was always full of himself, but this—."

Just like Knuckles had told him, Dark's pupils dilated with anger. He lunged for Shadow, the energy around him flaring in reaction to his anger. Shadow sidestepped, slamming his fist into the back of Dark's neck. The blue-black Hedgehog went down, and lay still.

Shadow's eyes narrowed and he approached the unmoving Hedgehog carefully.  _There's no way that knocked him out._ He leaned forward, ready to attack—

Quick as a blink, Dark's hand shot up, grabbing Shadow and pulling him close. Dark smirked at the Ultimate Lifeform, eyes glittering.

" **They say that you are immortal** ," Dark said ominously, his rage at Shadow's comment lowering his voice to a growl. " **Let's test that theory, shall we?** "

Shadow felt his enemy's energy levels spike dramatically. The black Hedgehog's eyes widened with horror as he realized what Dark was going to do. But it was too late to break free.

" **CHAOS BLAST!** "

The explosion enveloped a large section of the woods, the blue-black blast visible even from miles away. The ground shuddered and bulked, fragments of stone shooting outward dangerously. Luckily, other than the two caught in the blast's center, no one was around to be shredded by the shrapnel. The blue-black energy faded, leaving silence. Lightning flashed, revealing a gigantic crater. It was one and a half miles in diameter, carved deep into the earth, scarring it. Dust and smoke filled the air, barely visible against the stormy sky.

Through the smoke, movement could be seen. A spiky shape lay in the near center of the crater, chest rising and falling but otherwise completely limp. Shadow's energy was at an all-time low, his limiters hot around his wrists, like metal that had been overheated. The Hedgehog gazed up at the gray sky, the rain soaking his fur and turning the ground to sticky mud around him. He was  _exhausted_ , past physically drained.

_How am I alive?_  He wondered.  _What did I do? Did I... shield myself somehow?_

He had survived a plummet to Mobius from space, and now he had survived a blast of Chaos energy at close range. Whatever he had done just now had saved him, leaving him drained. It was nice that he could survive trauma that would kill anyone else, but it would also be nice to know  _how_  he did.

Shadow's chest ached, the pain pulsing with every heartbeat. He tried to rise but found he couldn't, his arms shaking as he tried to force himself up from the ground. His arms trembled and gave out, making him slump in the mud. His fur was drenched with filth. Shadow panted, each breath hard and painful, and pressed a hand his chest. His hand came away wet, covered in blood. Blood that was as red as his striped headquills.

Another shape moved in the dust, slow and steady, in stark contrast to Shadow's weak struggles. Dark walked casually towards Shadow with his customary smirk. He was completely unharmed by the blast, not even a smudge of dirt on his fur. He moved with the leniency of a predator who knew his prey could not escape. Shadow grunted and pushed himself up to his hands and knees, body shaking. He placed his foot down, setting his weight on it. It immediately gave out, sending him crashing back to the ground.

Dark snorted, cruelly amused. " **You survived a Chaos Blast detonation, and yet now you're as weak as a little flower. And I thought you were strong. How** _ **pathetic**_ **.** " He looked at the red stain on Shadow's gloves and his grin turned into a leer. " **Heh heh. So you** _ **do**_ **bleed red.** "

Shadow blinked and the blue-black Hedgehog was in front of him, pinning him to the ground. Dark knelt over him, holding him down, one hand squeezing the Ultimate Lifeform's throat. Shadow gasped weakly, clutching at the hand as it tightened, cutting off his air. Black spots invaded his vision as the lack of air took it's toll, panic quickly setting in. Shadow thrashed and bucked but Dark's grip did not lessen in the slightest. Blue-black energy lengthened from Dark's palm, a Chaos Dagger forming in his hand. The evil Mobian leaned forward, reveling in the fear in Shadow's crimson eyes.

" **I will kill** _ **all of you**_ ," Dark hissed, sharp teeth close to Shadow's ear. " **One. By.** _ **One.**_ "

Shadow felt something sharp press against his throat and shut his eyes, unable to look at his killer— the monster with Sonic's face.

_**[ I will not fall.** _

_**Won't let it go.** _

_**We will be freed** _

_ **When it ends.** **]** _

Dark gave a loud scream of shock and pain as a large hammer collided with the side of his head, knocking him away from Shadow.

"Leave him alone." Amy said. Her voice was not loud or angry, but soft and steady. Her hammer was held tightly in her hands, not wavering, as she pointed it at Dark.

"A-Amy..." Shadow rasped, voice horrible and scratchy. "Get o-out of... h-here..."

Amy did not look at him or respond to his words. Her voice grew harsh. "I know you're in pain, Shadow, but you need to  _get up_  and _fight_." She half-turned towards him, fiery green eyes not leaving Dark.

The Ultimate Lifeform could see the burning in her gaze. He could see the blazing determination. Amy was done crying. She was done running away. She was ready to fight, ready to stop the evil Hedgehog in front of them. She was ready to be a Hero.

Finding new strength, Shadow grunted, forcing himself to his feet. He was the Ultimate Lifeform, and there was no way in Hell he was letting the pink Hedgehog fight this monster alone.

Dark's annoying smirk was back. " **What do you think you're** _ **doing, weakling**_ **?** " he asked, looking at Amy with condescending amusement dripping from his voice.

Amy's gaze and weapon did not waver as their eyes— pale green and red-and-black streaked— locked. Her voice was steady and strong.

"I'm going to stop you... Dark." she stated, confidence ringing in her voice.

He laughed.

_**[** I, I've been waiting for someone like you._

_But now you are slipping away._

_**What have you done now?** _

_**Why? Why does fate make us suffer?** _

_**There's a curse between us.** _

_**Between me and you.]** _

Shadow shot a Chaos Spear at Dark, who dodged, jumping straight into the path of Amy's swinging hammer. The evil Hedgehog ducked beneath the weapon, pulling it from her grasp. Contemptuously, he snapped the handle in half before throwing the pieces away.

" **Is that all you've—** _ **Oof!**_ "

Another hammer had appeared in Amy's hands the moment the first was taken, which she slammed down on Dark's head. The villain cursed and sped away from her, evading her next four strikes. He lunged back towards the pink Hedgehog, hand glowing with energy, only to be sent flying by Shadow's kick. The evil Hedgehog rolled once before he regained his footing. Dark sent a barrage of dark blue Chaos Spears at the Ultimate Lifeform, who flipped backwards out of their path.

Again, Dark was struck from behind, Amy's hammer beating his skull three times before he was able to hit her. The pinkette cried out in pain as the blow connected, the energy burning her side where he had struck her. Amy flew back and hit the ground, sliding to a stop. She lay where she landed, unmoving.

Dark sneered. " **Weak.** "

To his surprise, the girl rose to her hands and knees, huffing as she leaned on her hammer and forced herself to stand. Her eyes were emerald flames as she glared at him, blood trickling from her mouth. Impatiently, she pushed her wet hair out of her face, ignoring the pouring rain.

"I'm  _not_  weak." she snarled.

A sharp  _crack_  echoed around the clearing as Shadow's Homing Attack connected with Dark's body. The evil Mobian howled in pain as the strike sent him crashing into the earth and mud, making another crater on their battlefield. Dark grunted as he pulled himself out of the new hole, blinking in confusion as he felt something trickle down his head. He touched the spot and stared at his glove, eyes widening as he saw the red stain.

" **You... You HURT ME!** " Dark shrieked, all traces of sanity fleeing his eyes. " **Chaos—** "

Shadow grabbed Amy's arm. "Chaos Control!"

"— **BLAST!** "

**BOOM!**

The little remaining debris from the first blast was vaporized by the second explosion, the earth rocking and buckling once more. The deadly blue energy and disturbed dust faded faster than the last, revealing an insanely laughing dark blue Hedgehog.

" **See?! See?!** " Dark cackled at no one. " **I am the most powerful! I am the strongest! Heroes are nothing compared to me! Ha ha ha ha!** "

Amy and Shadow reappeared where they had been, teleported out just in time by Shadow's quick Chaos Control. Dark's laughter vanished and he growled.

" **You...! Just DIE! DIE DIE DIE DIE** _ **DIE**_ **!** " he screamed.

Chaos Spears flew out randomly from his unfocused hands, Amy and Shadow separating as they avoided the bolts of energy. Shadow slid beneath the relentless barrage of spears, kicking Dark's feet out from under him. The crazed Mobian fell to the ground, and lashed out, knocking Shadow down as well. Before he could take advantage of Shadow's current position, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eyes. On instinct, Dark rolled to the side.

Amy's hammer left an indent in the ground where it impacted the earth, right where Dark had been laying. She spun, kicking Dark solidly in the face. He howled, covering his muzzle with one hand as thrust outward. The Chaos Spear hit Amy dead on and she flew back, landing with an audible thud. Dark rose to his feet, a Chaos Dagger forming in his hand. He approached the downed pinkette, knife raised.

" **DIE!** "

Shadow tackled Dark to the ground, forcing him to drop the Dagger. Screeching, Dark fought like a wild animal, sharp teeth snapping at Shadow's hands, face, and throat. The two grappled with each other, unable to use Chaos Control at such close range, trapped in a deadly fistfight. A few yards away, Amy groaned, struggling to clear her dazed mind. She turned her head to the side and blinked, eyes focusing on the Chaos Dagger that lay next to her head. Amy picked the knife up, staring at it silently. Slowly, her grip around it's hilt tightened.

A blow to the face sent Shadow reeling and Dark grabbed him, fingers wrapping around his throat. For the second time that fight, Shadow found himself being strangled.

" **Die...** " Dark rasped, crazed eyes completely focused on the Ultimate Lifeform.

A hard shove forced Dark to release the ebony Hedgehog, the following kick sending him flying. Dark recovered quickly and looked up. Red-and-black streaked eyes met light green. Amy stared at the evil Hedgehog for a moment, unmoving. Then she ran.

She ran at Dark, mud splashing onto her shoes and clothes as she sped towards her enemy. She drew closer to him, closer, yet he only watched, his cruel smirk on his face. He was not worried. He was letting her come. He thought she was weak. How wrong he was.

Memories passed through Amy's mind, spotlights of her life repeating themselves in her head.

" _I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog!"_

" _Sonic's my Hero, Cream! When I was captured, he rescued me from that weirdo Doctor Eggman. Do you think... he might have rescued me because he loves me?"_

" _I love you Sonic the Hedgehog. And I know that you love me too! One day, someday, you'll admit it! I won't give up. I won't ever give up! I know that one day, you will see..."_

" _You finally matured, Ames. Do you want to walk with me through the park?"_

" _What's wrong, Ames?"_

" _That battle with Eggman... I was useless. I almost got you killed."_

" _You thought you were useless? Ames, you beat ten of Eggman's robots! You helped me. You're strong, Amy. You're stronger than I'll ever be."_

" _How am I strong?"_

_A smile. "You never give up. You never give in. You always achieve your goal."_

" _I love you, Amy Rose."_

" _I love you too."_

" _Where are you going, Sonic?"_

" _Eggman's up to something near Westopolis. It's probably another plot to take over the world or something. I'm going to check it out."_

" _Be careful."_

" _I always am. See you later, Ames."_

" _See you later, Ames."_

" _See you later."_

" _See you later..."_

Twenty yards became fifteen, fifteen became ten.

Amy's steps did not falter, her resolve did not waver. Not even for a moment. She did not wallow in the past, did not hesitate in her goal. All of her mind, all of her thoughts, all of her focus was on the evil Hedgehog in front of her. The monster who killed her Sonic, her Hero.

Five yards. Four yards. Three yards. Two.

The Chaos Dagger glinted in her right hand and Dark— who had been so overconfident that she was not a threat— spotted it. His eyes widened. It was too late to dodge. She was too close, coming too fast.

" _See you later, Ames."_

Green eyes bore into red-and-black streaked, and Amy Rose stabbed once.

_**[** I've been waiting for someone like you._

_But now you are slipping away._

_**What have you done now?** _

_**Why? Why does fate make us suffer?** _

_**There's a curse between us.** _

_ **Between me and you.** **]** _

The Chaos Dagger sliced through skin, muscle, and bone, stabbing straight through the heart.

Amy's own heart clenched as Dark flinched and grunted, pulling himself off of the blade. His startled eyes never left Amy's face, black-and-red remaining locked with pale green. The black and red streaked pupils wavered, turning green, and the red rings in his sclera vanished. He fell slowly, legs giving way, his fur lightening to a sky blue. Amy caught him, the dagger slipping from her limp hand as she collapsed with him to her knees.

Sonic's green eyes focused on her and he smiled, the small, tender smile that he saved just for her whenever they were alone together. Still smiling, his eyes slid closed, his face softening into a peaceful, calm expression. The pink Hedgehog felt his spirit slip away, the warmth leaving her arms.

Sonic was gone.

Amy stayed where she was, sitting in the relentless rain, staring at her love's face. She didn't react when Shadow limped to a halt next to her, gazing at Sonic with too-bright eyes, his tears disappearing in the rain. Amy couldn't bring herself to sob, not feeling a jerky, wrenching feeling in her chest. She cradled Sonic's body, hugging his cooling frame and laying her forehead against his.

"Sonic..." Amy whispered.

Her tears mingled with the rain.


End file.
